Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

You know those books that engage you just fine when you’re reading, but that you have to push yourself to pick up? That’s what Scout Is Not a Band Kid was for me. (Maybe it’s because I was a band kid?) Of course, it’s entirely possible that the average middle grade reader will enjoy this graphic novel about a girl who joins band solely because the trip at the end of the year will enable her to meet her favorite author; as a parent and former band geek, however, I found Scout to be more selfish and less likeable than I wanted her to be. On the other hand, the ‘what makes a good friend question’ is subtly but successfully explored, and the glimpse of the (also) subtle differences between Canadian life versus life in the US was interesting for me. Ultimately, however, it wasn’t my favorite of my recent graphic novel reads.

In other news, the Youth Media Awards Webcast was this morning at 6 am (8 am Eastern, only I’m not in Eastern), and I got up to watch it. So many more good books I want to read! And we had this Orange-Maple French Toast Casserole for dinner last night, which all of us seemed to mostly like. (Translation? The littles didn’t like the orange segments on top.) I’d recommend it; it also had the benefit of using up a bunch of stale grocery store bakery rolls that needed to be eaten. What’s not to love?